Extra, Extra: Surgical Masks Are 'In'

"griffith observatory" Photo by hyperbolation via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr

• StylistLA survey: Wear or not wear a surgical mask when traveling through LAX?
• Twitter is fun and all the rage these days (of course you're following LAist, right?), but are you twittering too much? We consumers are a funny breed - using then abusing every new trend until they're left lifeless on the ground, then we're off to feed again. "If you’re bragging about a book you wrote, or telling the Twittersphere that you own two houses, you might be Tweeting Too Hard," says LASnark.
• The East Hollywood Neighborhood Council has declared East Hollywood a "Pedestrian Oriented Community." David Bell, President of EHNC board, said "We're excited to declare East Hollywood a Pedestrian Oriented Community and we're looking forward to working with our neighbors to make our vision of a walkable, livable community a reality."
• The "Newlywed Bandits" were sentenced to his & her prison terms of 78 & 51 months, respectively, today for robbing 5 banks in a three week span back in 2007. Though not married, the dastardly duo were nicknamed the "Newlywed Bandits" by an FBI agent during their arraignment because they "shared romantic gazes into each other's eyes and smiled a lot."
• The LA Times has cut yet another service. In a surprising move, they are cutting the country's biggest non-profit teen newspaper, L.A. Youth. L.A. Youth needs to raise $50,000 to stay afloat, LA Observed (to whom we owe linkage of this article) is donating $100. Are you on board to donate?
• Don't worry about more urban growth anytime soon. As long as the cute and stealthy, Tehachapi slender salamander is around, nobody's building anything.
• Venice residents, particularly in the Oakwood section, be wary of opening your door for young salesmen. Recently, groups of African American boys between the ages of 14 - 16 have been reportedly posing as selling magazine subscriptions, but have assaulted and robbed the residents instead.
• Sad news from the LA Philharmonic today... Steven Witser, Principal Trombone of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, died suddenly of an apparent heart attack in Pasadena last night. “The shock of Steve’s sudden and unexpected death has robbed us of one of our most beloved and respected musicians," lamented Deborah Borda, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, in a statement. "Steve had been with the LA Philharmonic for just under two years and had made a tremendous impact on all of us in that time. He was not only a wonderful player, but a great friend and colleague and very active in the organization. He will be deeply missed." (via inbox)